Proud to be firefighters
Local firefighters dedicate their time and lives to serve the town.
A calm and relaxed mood greets anyone who enters the Springs Fire Station after a hectic night shift.
The years of experience that unite the firefighters allow them to call the station home.
Colleagues Ben Bothma and Abel Ntuli sat down for an interview in honour of these long-serving firefighters.
Bothma, who has been in service to the department of emergency services and Springs for 33 years, is the shift commander for the fire department in the town.
When asked what inspired him to follow this career, Bothma says upon leaving school he was unsure of what career path to follow.
“My journey started with me not knowing what I wanted to do. My initial plan was to join the SAPS.
“Then my father and I had a conversation about careers. He was working for Impala Platinum Refineries at the time as part of the fire team and asked me how I felt about joining emergency services.
“I didn’t even know what emergency services were. We made an appointment and during our visit the personnel showed me around and detailed all the opportunities within the department. When we left, I had made my decision,” explained Bothma.
Ntuli’s story, however, is a bit different. With 36 years of service, he first joined the department as a paramedic.
“I didn’t grow up in a rich home and I needed a career path that provided me with security and money to take care of my family. But what I have come to love the most in this job is helping people,” said Ntuli.
When asked about their daily challenges within their job, both highlighted the dangers.
“People often assume we arrive late on a scene because we are time wasters and that is not true. Residents need to be educated on what numbers to call to get help on time.
“You cannot be calling the police for a fire. It delays our response time because protocol has to be followed.
Details need to be forwarded to our communications centre and only then is the information filtered down to us,” said Bothma.
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Ntuli said that some situations add to the strain and anxiety of being a public servant.
“When we are called out, we don’t know whether we will be ambushed or not. There is the risk of residents attacking us as we are trying to do our jobs. Most times that put our lives in danger more than the actual job does.
“People will throw stones at you, especially over the weekend when they are drunk,” explained Ntuli.
He said one must soldier one even if it is a scary ordeal.
“Nobody likes having their lives in danger, but we pray to God to keep us safe and we do what we must,” he said.
Being a firefighter is a nerve-wracking career and these men boast about the support they have received from their loved ones.
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Bothma talked about his eight-year-old son, who he fondly refers to as his ‘laat lammetjie’ and how he is proud of being his father despite barely being able to spend time with him when he is on duty.
“The hardest part of my job is working shifts because it affects everything, including your family life. You miss holidays and birthdays but with time you find balance. With many years of experience, you get used to working shifts.
“It doesn’t stop being challenging, especially as a single father, to keep up with the daily activities such as preparing him for school and taking him to daycare if I am working the night shift.
“My son grew up at this fire station. He knows the fire engines and loves to brag about his father to his friends,” said Bothma.
Ntuli, who is also a single father, said his children are also very proud of him.
“They tell their friends that their father saves lives, and that is why I look forward to coming to work,” beamed Ntuli.
No job comes without its rewards, which is also the reason why both men have stayed on their chosen paths.
“The best part of being a firefighter is thinking of the lives that we have saved. Saving a man, woman or child or even someone’s home – that stays with you,” stated Bothma.
“There are a lot of moments to be proud of when you are a firefighter. It is why we wake up to do what we do. It’s not only about lives. Saving a pen or a photograph that is of sentimental value to someone is equally important,” Ntuli added.
Bothma and Ntuli have been colleagues since the day Bothma started at the fire station. They consider themselves family.
“I found Abel here and we have been inseparable ever since,” remarked Bothma.
“I am grateful to Ben as he has become my brother and taught me many things,” voiced Ntuli.
